Field of the Disclosure
This disclosure relates generally to portable information handling systems and, more particularly, to a portfolio cover for portable information handling systems.
Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) are commonly employed for portable information handling systems configured in the form of laptop, notebook, netbook, and tablet computers, among others. The LCD of a typical laptop computer is mounted within a display housing that is hingeably attached to a base housing that contains the keyboard for the notebook computer. Recently various designs for portable information handling systems have been introduced that combine conventional laptop and tablet functionality, also referred to herein as “tablet-laptop” systems, and may employ various types of connections to a base housing, including various types hinges and/or removable attachment mechanisms. Furthermore, with the advent of various mobile operating systems supporting touch operation, integration of touch panels within the LCD assembly of portable information handling systems has become highly relevant to satisfying market expectations.
Simultaneously, certain design aspects of tablet-laptop systems present technical and/or aesthetic challenges for manufacture and usability. For example, different types of keyboards may be used with tablet-laptop systems and many newer keyboard designs are much lighter in weight than in previous laptop systems, which may be desirable for improved portability. However, as a result of the lighter keyboard, when a tablet-laptop system is used in laptop mode, mechanical instability may arise due to weight imbalance. Design efforts to buttress the hinge mechanism in tablet-laptop systems may involve significant complexity and cost, and may further add thickness and weight to the overall package, which is undesirable. Furthermore, when tablet-laptop systems are used in tablet mode, undesirable contact of the keyboard may occur with a working surface on which the tablet-laptop system is placed during use.
Accordingly, it is desirable to have an improved design and a correspondingly improved manufacturing method for portable information handling systems, particularly for tablet-laptop systems, that provides an improved hinge design and provides protection to various components in different modes of use.